02 Compound adjectives
Definition
- A compound adjective is made of two or more words, often joined by hyphens, that work as one descriptive unit before a noun.
- They make descriptions shorter and more precise.
Hyphen rule
- Before a noun, use hyphens: Mohamed Salah is a well-known footballer.
- After the noun or a linking verb, usually no hyphen: Mohamed Salah is well known.
- A number inside the compound stays singular: a three-hour meeting (not three-hours).
Common forms
1Number + singular noun
Example
- a ten-hour journey
2Adjective + past participle
Example
- a well-dressed woman, a short-sighted man
3Adjective + present participle
Example
- a good-looking person
4Adverb + past participle
Example
- a highly-respected professional
5Noun + present participle
Example
- a time-saving device
6Noun + past participle
Example
- home-made cake
7Noun + adjective
Example
- a world-famous landmark
Rewriting examples
- The movie lasted two hours -> a two-hour movie.
- The shirt is easy to wear -> an easy-to-wear shirt.
- The man is known all over the world -> a world-famous man.
- She has blue eyes -> a blue-eyed girl.
- He has full confidence in himself -> a self-confident man.
- Others: open-minded person, full-time job, seventy-year-old grandmother, slow-moving turtle, crystal-clear water, breathtaking sunset.
Participles as adjectives
- -ing adjectives describe what causes a feeling (a breathtaking view); -ed adjectives describe a state (a bleached reef).
- Useful compounds: well-behaved, time-consuming, densely-populated, brand-new, old-fashioned, long-lasting.